On the Appearance of the Stars when viewed Cursorily. 235 



not exactly ascertained. The following is an extract from my 

 original memorandum : " 1 7th December 1825. — Last night 

 was very fine. I observed Saturn just past his opposition; he 

 was very beautiful, and I saw him in great perfection ; his 

 ring was broad, well defined, and very open ; I am almost cer- 

 tain that I observed the belts parallel to it. * I observed, in 

 the strongest and most satisfactory manner, the fact mention- 

 ed in Brewster's Journal of Science for October, (the article 

 of Observations on Double Stars,) that minute bodies may be 

 distinguished by directing the eye to another part of the field. 

 This I saw in a speck which was almost certainly one of Sa- 

 turn's satellites, or an extremely small star. I could not al- 

 ways see it, and never when I directed my eye to the spot 

 where it was, but when I looked at Saturn's body, I could 

 see it a little to the south," [Qui north ?] " and though so ex- 

 ceeding minute, I have not the smallest hesitation in pro- 

 nouncing it to have been no deception. I saw it at several 

 intervals, and under different circumstances. I next directed 



the telescope to the sword of Orion, : 



the moon was at her first quarter, yet I saw admirably. The 

 accompanying is a sketch of the group. The star A I observ- 

 ed only or almost entirely by the method of B 

 oblique vision mentioned last, and of which 

 this was scarcely a less satisfactory example. 

 But the most interesting observation was on A ' 



the star B, &c. &c. •" " 



My note then goes on to state at large my observations on that 

 famous quadruple star, which, however, I need not now quote. 

 I however remark, that "I found the oblique vision of use here 

 too, though not so strikingly as in the other particulars ;" and 

 conclude, " It is proper to observe, that these observations were 

 made about 8 r. M., when Orion was rising.*^ The above ex- 

 tracts abundantly illustrate the influence of this agent in prac- 

 tical observation, and its power is such, that I am astonished 

 that it has not been long ago observed. According to Dr Brews- 



• This is hardly probable, from the lowncss of the power applied. 



t I had not then read the note, (Ed. Journ. p. 292,) which mentions 

 the application to Saturn's satellites ; that observation was therefore per- 

 fectly unbiassed on that score- 



